No, not just a 60’s R&B group, as my good friend from New York suggested, but what my legs are going through at the moment, thank goodness.

My 8-week ruleis working out and I feel like I’ve got a nice little base built up now to hammer a good 4-week block of training before the dreaded Strade Bianche Gran Fondo in early March.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that my weight has gone down, but not as much as I’d hoped. Once I finish this next beer I’m going to put some thought into why. Still, I’m holding steady at around 70 kg, which most people where I come from would consider border-line anorexic, but any lycra overhang is unacceptable for the serious MAMIL.

The other good news is that Strade Bianche is not a race that requires extreme lightness, since most of the gravel climbs are short and steep. It’s why Peter Sagan can do so well (till that last dastardly climb) and Romain Bardet probably can’t. Of course I do need to have the power to get these 70 kg up the hills, which is not guaranteed. It could be a moot point.

The final good news is that I’m going to be there with good friends Sarah, Karsten, Stephen and John, so whatever sensations I might be lacking during the event, they’re sure to arrive around aperitivo time.